On November 11, Secretary Clinton will travel to Perth, Australia to join U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr, and Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith for the annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) to discuss security cooperation and other regional and global issues. In Perth, Secretary Clinton will meet with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Minister Bob Carr. She will also visit the new Western Australia -- United States & Asia Centre (USAC). She will then travel to Adelaide where she will meet with Australian business leaders as well as visit Techport Australia, Australia's largest and most advanced shipbuilding facility.

Secretary Clinton will travel to Singapore on November 16-17 to meet with senior government officials, including Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam, on a wide range of issues.

On November 17, Secretary Clinton will travel to Bangkok, Thailand. She will join President Obama and his delegation on November 18 for meetings with Prime Minister Yingluck and other senior Thai officials to underscore our strong alliance and discuss shared priorities and regional issues in advance of the ASEAN East Asia Summit.

Secretary Clinton will accompany President Obama to Burma on November 19, and join his meetings with Burmese President Thein Sein and Chair of the National League for Democracy and Member of Parliament Aung San Suu Kyi.

Secretary Clinton will also accompany President Obama on his travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia November 19-20 to attend the U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting and the East Asia Summit.

Comments

Comments

Ashim C.

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India

November 13, 2012

Ashim C. in India writes:

USA and it's formal and informal allies are over reacting to rise of China. There is, however,nothing wrong in USA's plan to shift 60% of it's naval capacity to South East Asia. It is shifting what is surplus and unutilised or under utilised on it's own shore. But given the state of economy, US would have done better by deciding to put an undeclared stop to import from China and carry Europe and some other countries of South Asia and pacific countries in the loop because a) that would create jobs back home or encourage subsidised import from Europe and other developed countries and thus put them back on path of recovery, b) create conditions of economic glut which would lead ultimately to slow down in China and political instability for Chinese communist party monopoly, which would lead to internal and external reforms and reorientation of Chinese foreign policy. China is still not stronger than USSR was before and after it disintegrated. To be able to do this as painlessly as possible USA and Europe must work to cultivate countries of Asia, Afica, and Latin America with their demographic advantages to accomodate change of direction western investment as openly as possible. It is not difficult for US to understand that that some countries are not able to rise up to the challenges of times because of their "so called vibrant democracy". These democracies need to rationalised so that they can emerge out of their cold war era mind set, which continues to influence their foreign policy positions and internal economic policies.

Out going leadership of China has said enough to point at vulnerabilities of China. Here it would be apt to mention India. Certainly, one can understand why US cannot keep India as much engaged in South East Asian and Pacific region programmes as she ought to be. But does not minimise the importance of India in any manner especially because of strategic importance of Andaman Group of Islands. India has to look east better sooner than later. India's strategic thinking must change. This is a challenge for both US and Indian statemanship. There is need for a Nixon and Kissinger to draw India out to participate in US war against terror in Afpak region and supply human resources in South East Asia. US diplomacy has to take initiatives by participating in India's development process, energy and food security programmes, other programmes of poverty alleviation and most importantly mitigating India's threat perceptions in Kashmir post 2014 withdrawal of USA from Afghanistan and North East states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh from China. Best and the easiest way to do it is to declare intent of full participation in India's efforts of self defence if ever and whenever India is attacked suo moto and offering to share strategic strength - including nuclear defense systems under a new model of lease and a joint control. The logic of the proposition is simple... why should one friend spend it's scarce resources what the other friend has in surplus and other friend is able to put into use it's surplus adding value to it. Sounds like wishful thinking but is absolutely doable. One hopes the visit to Asian countries and Australia would be followed up appropriate diplomatic exchanges with India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Srilanka and Nepal ( All SAARC countries ) without much fanfare.

Patrick

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Maryland, USA

November 14, 2012

Patrick in Maryland writes:

I think your traveling abroad is very important. It's alway better to be there in person.